“I wanted to be in elementary ed, so what better place to start than the college known for developing teachers?” said Vivian. “I came to UNI, I toured it — didn’t choose any other places to tour — and right away I said ‘Yes! This is the one.’”

With one in 10 students pursuing an elementary teacher degree, UNI is the place for anyone who wants to become an elementary teacher. The smaller class sizes also provide students with personalized attention and help them build beneficial connections.

In her classes, Vivian doesn’t just hear her professors talk about how to be a great teacher. She gets to practice what she’s learning in real classrooms with real students. Through field experiences and student teaching opportunities, Vivian will accumulate more than 700 hours of in-depth hands-on experience by the time she graduates with an elementary education degree. Her favorite part about these field experiences is getting to witness students experience their “aha!” moments when they finally understand one of the concepts she’s been teaching.

With so many education majors and minors to choose from, UNI truly is the best place to not only get an elementary teacher degree but any education degree. Your expert advisor will offer advice on the best route to achieve your career goals, including any minors you should add or endorsements you should pursue. Because the elementary education major has a nearly 98% career placement rate, you can expect to find a job quickly upon graduation.

Your dream to become an elementary school teacher will be one step closer when you pursue an elementary teacher degree at the University of Northern Iowa. Find out more about this signature UNI program today!